Ever since starting composing in digital programs (back in the Sibelius 2 days) I’ve hoped for marimba/xylophone roll playback to be correct, however, this remains a dream to this day.
The current situation in notation programs (including Dorico): you notate a three-stroke tremolo (the correct way of notation rolls in tuned percussion) and the playback serves you a playback sound akin to a machine-gun. For single notes this is somewhat correct, although very machine-like. For double notes (or more) the multiple notes being repeated at the same time is incorrect. This is the correct playback for these notations on for example string instruments, but not percussion instruments.
The correct playback that I would really like to be implemented, and Dorico would be the first to do it:
- Single notes: repeat the notated notes at a set speed, regardless of tempo. This tempo can be changed in the “lower zone”.
- Double notes: alternate the top and bottom note at a set speed, regardless of the tempo. Include a setting in the lower zone to indicate which note to start on.
- Triple notes: Alternate between top two and the bottom note. Include a setting in the lower zone to indicate which notes to group together in this.
- Four notes: alternate the top two and bottom two notes.
These playback behaviours should apply to at least all tuned percussion instruments (marimba, xylophone, vibraphone, glockenspiel, etc.).
In all these scenarios an element of humanisation would be ideal, for example that the rolls start and end slightly slower and work up and down to and from the targeted roll speed. These are all variables that could be included in a dedicated (percussion) roll/tremolo section in the lower zone.
An alternative would be to add an additional three-slash tremolo option in the “right zone” specifically for percussion instruments.
(Tuned) percussion instruments have been left in the dust for too long and their playback should really be taken as seriously as the other instruments, they’re even part of the main-stream symphonic instrumentation, so why don’t they get the same attention as all the other symphonic instruments?